Muzzle brake question and a grain of salt.

[hawken11]

I am considering muzzle break for my .300wm. The gunsmith claims that alone will get my Sendero from 2" at 300 yds to 1.5 or less. He actually claimed down to 1" at 300 yds.

I am not an engineer, gunsmith and not much more than a novice at LR Shooting. I know the benefits and am sold on the MB, but wanted to get some input on accuracy benefits minus the flinch factor.

Any thoughts or stories [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]???

[royinidaho]

Accuracy of the rifle most probably won't be affected.

Accuracy of the "system" (you and the rifle) most probably will greatly improve.

It turned my 338 Win into a pussy cat. Its now a 338 RUM and just a bigger pussy cat, maybe a tom cat.

The brake improved things enough to be able to work up very good loads and be able to shoot 300gr bullets prone most of the afternoon.

The trick is to get the correct brake.

Unless you are shooting on the golf course you don't want holes in the bottom. Big time dust or water spray.

I'd recommend Holland QD or the Defensive Edge. I have both and am pleased.

[Wild_Bill]

Hi the good break can help you to shoot the rifle better so your groups will shrink. But it can also act like a barrel tuner by adding weight infront of the muzzle sonetimes this helps the accuracy other times the node is in the wrong place and it can actualy hurt accuracy.

The thing is accuracy will be the best that you can shoot and if the rifle has less felt recoil you will be able to shoot it better.

Cheers Bill
Australia

[meichele]

Wild Bill hit the nail on the head.

Sometimes it will change the barrel for the better or the worst. You just never know. The good news is, if it changes for the worst, you just need to redevelop your loads. Differant powers, bullets, charge weights ect....

The act alone of installing a brake can cause unpredictable accuracy changes however, the tamer the beast, the better the man behind the rifle can shoot it. In that sense it may make the overall system more accurate.

After Kirby put a Holland QD on my 270 WSM it shot tighter groups. Aside from the obvious flinch factor - I'm convinced it does shoot better. Kirby puts a far superior (to the factory) crown on before adding the break - and that can really help accuracy.

I've stated this a dozen times but I can't get any of you experts to agree (or disagree) with my conjecture below:

I think a muzzle break helps protect the crown (so you retain accuracy).

[Hired Gun]

While no expert I agree a brake protects the crown. I still won't carry muzzle down in the car. All my friends guns have the bluing worn pretty heavy on the ends of thier barrels and mine all look new. I think the extra mass of a brake helps stabilize the muzzle upon bullet exit and helps accuracy. As funds and priorities allow I would like to put big ugly brakes on all my centerfires. Besides, it's the new millenium. With the current brake technology their is no reason to get beat up by a rifle anymore.

[hawken11]

Thanks for the insight and recommendations.